Traveling Soldier
by s p a r k l e g l i t t e r
Summary: It was to her nervousness - and her friends' faint amusement - that she found herself eerily aware of the stranger's presence. And, indeed, she questioned her sanity a few times for agreeing to his request. After all, she didn't know him. [AU - Songfic]


**Disclaimer:** I do not own the song lyrics used liberally below, nor the characters so sneakily 'borrowed' from Rurouni Kenshin.  
  
**Things to know:** Alternate Universe. Song-fic. The rest you should be able to figure out as the story goes on.  
  
**Author's Notes:** Located below.  
  
    
  
  
*`*`*`*`*`  
  
**Traveling Soldier**  
  
    Written but NOT conceived by Houseki Miyami
  
  
*`*`*`*`*`  
  
    
  
  
    _Two days past eighteen, he was waitin' for the bus in his army greens._
  
  
    _Sat down in a booth, a café there._
  
  
She found her eyes straying to the newest patron to walk through the doors.  
  
He couldn't be more than eighteen, despite the military uniform and stress etched into the lines of his face, sitting so awkwardly with the menu before him. Something within her melted at the sight - an instinctive reaction, perhaps, toward seeing someone far more mature than those she went to school with. All of it, of course, was hidden as she wiped her hands on a towel and made her way over. "May I take your order, sir?"  
  
He looked up at her then, his gaze shielded, his entire body a little too stiff. Kaoru smiled warmly as she stood with her pen positioned above the pad in her hand. "Anything to drink?" she prompted gently, feeling oddly touched by the sight of him.  
  
Those violet eyes suddenly showed a faint flicker of torment, a darkness that he couldn't hide in the face of her kindness. He tilted his head, shy indecision blooming within his countenance. "Maybe a cup of coffee...?"  
  
    _Gave his order to the girl with a bow in her hair._
  
  
"All right," she agreed easily, scribbling the request down. Then she peeked at him, biting her lip. "Are you going off to the war?" When he tensed further, she mentally berated herself for bringing up the topic. "I'm sorry..."  
  
    _He's a little shy, but she gave him a smile - so he said, "Would you mind sittin' down for a while and talkin' to me, I'm feelin' a little low."_
  
  
It nearly killed her to say no when he seemed to wilt slightly. But at least she could amend the answer.  
  
    _She said "I'm off in an hour, and I know where we can go."_
  
  
It was to her nervousness - and her friends' faint amusement - that she found herself eerily aware of the stranger's presence. And, indeed, she questioned her sanity a few times for agreeing to his request. After all, she didn't know him. Yet there was something about that slight figure in the greens-and-browns uniform, those beautiful eyes filled with unknowns and fears - yet a certain determination in the way he held himself.  
  
For the entire hour, he nursed his cup of coffee, a smile lighting his eyes each time she came over for a refill. For him, in that space of time, in that dingy little diner on a street corner, located in his town where he had to switch buses - she was the center of his world. For that hour, he could shed his worries and simply watch a girl, with warm blue eyes and a sweet smile that touched at his heart.  
  
He came to his feet almost eagerly when she reappeared, clad still in the white shirt and denim skirt, hair freshly brushed and lips glossed. For a moment he no longer felt like the young soldier being shipped off to a foreign area he had never heard of until certain events unfolded - he was a teenager again, a bumbling fool trying to earn the hand of his childhood sweetheart.  
  
Only it was better.  
  
    
  
  
    _So they went down and sat on the pier._
  
  
    _He said, "I bet you got a boyfriend and I don't care. I've got no one to send my letters to - would you mind if I sent one back here to you?"_
  
  
Kaoru tossed her head slightly, looking up at the sky blindly. How long had it been? An hour? Two? Sitting there, talking quietly to each other of nothing at all. She laughingly told him of some of the antics of her friends during school hours, or of the nasal twang her History teacher held - he responded with anecdotes of his younger brothers in earlier years. They had avoided all mention of the war, or his deployment - but now it was brought up, and surprisingly, her heart twisted in acute pain upon realizing that his bus would soon arrive.  
  
Ridiculous, she knew, to have become so attached so quickly.  
  
Yet...  
  
She turned her head to smile at him, aware of liquid sheen coming to her eyes and unable - unwilling - to hide them. At least when he was gone, he would know that there was someone waiting for him, someone caring. Her tears were proof of that.  
  
"Please do," she answered softly, reaching out to clasp his hand gently in hers.  
  
It stayed there during their last moments. Stayed there until they absolutely had to part - leaving her with the memory of his face as the bus rattled past, with tears staining her cheeks from the pain of his absence.  
  
    _I cried._
  
  
    
  
  
"Kaoru, you can't just keep yourself for him. It's unreasonable."  
  
    _"Too young for him," they told her._
  
  
"Darling, it's too early for a letter yet."  
  
    _Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier._
  
  
"I don't agree with those who say we should withdraw."*  
  
    _My love will never end, waitin' for the soldier to come back again._
  
  
"We are not there to see a war lost."*  
  
    _Never more to be alone, when the letter says a soldier's coming home._
  
  
    
  
  
It was here!  
  
She clasped the white envelope to her chest as she dashed up the stairs, ignoring her mother's startled cry. Once in the safety of her room, she slid to the floor, back against the door.  
  
Very carefully, she slit the envelope open to extract the precious gift.  
  
The first letter - from him. His name written so neatly, calling out to her.  
  
She unfolded the paper to read.  
  
    _Well, the letters came._
  
  
Every one that appeared from there on was treasured, pored over, read well into the night. She responded to them with all her heart poured into the words, and often with salty tears slipping over her cheeks, dripping from her chin to stain and blotch the writing.  
  
    _From an army camp in California, then Vietnam._
  
  
    _And he talked about his heart; it might be love..._
  
  
    _And all of the things he was so scared of._
  
  
She had to rewrite each one, to make them legible.  
  
But it was okay - it was for him. For them.  
  
A relationship built on the frailty of paper and pen, on the strength of hearts and words - whether in the jungles of Vietnam, huddled together in tense, solemn atmosphere, or in the safety and sanctity of a small room on the second floor, hidden from prying eyes.  
  
    _Said, "When it's getting' kinda tough over here, I think about that day sittin' down at the pier and close my eyes. I see your pretty smile."_
  
  
Memories of that cherished day, and hopes for the future - after the war, after the death and destruction that plagued that country, and the troops sent there - helped them survive, gave them something to hold on to during the darkest hours.  
  
Even when a dreaded letter came to her hands, gave her the first thrill of fear, despite her absolute faith that he would return to her one day.  
  
    _"Now, don't worry, but I won't be able to write for a while."_
  
  
Still, every day she waited patiently for his words to return to her, lovingly scrawled in his admittedly poor handwriting. Valentine's passed solemnly - very few had loved ones that were with them this year. She wasn't alone in that, and it only made her heart ache further to know that other women experienced what she did.  
  
    _I cried._
  
  
    _Never gonna hold the hand of another guy._
  
  
It only showed how much she was affected when the sight of her mother and father embracing casually in the kitchen had her running to her room in tears.  
  
Wishing... so desperately... that he could be there to hold her.  
  
    _"Too young for him," they told her._
  
  
    _Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier._
  
  
She was sometimes angry that she had to meet him. Angry that they could feel so much for each other, just before he had to leave her.  
  
But beyond that, she was always, always, grateful that she had him. Carrying the thought of his love, and the memory of his soft eyes and hesitant smile.  
  
    _My love will never end, waitin' for the soldier to come back again._
  
  
And so she could stand tall and proud, until the time came.  
  
    _Never more to be alone. When the letter says a soldier's coming home._
  
  
    
  
*`*`*`*`*`  
  
    
  
Kaoru twirled her piccolo in an absent gesture. She hated the crowds, knew that a blush would begin to touch her cheeks as soon as they began their march - and so was intensely grateful that their brief moment in the spotlight wouldn't occur for a while yet.  
  
While the other girls milled about, she slipped past in a hunt for water, feeling suddenly tired.  
  
    _One Friday night at a football game, the Lord's Prayer said and the anthem sang..._
  
  
She listened automatically as a new voice came over the speaker, quiet and solemn as he asked for attention.  
  
    _The man said "Folks, bow your heads for the list of local Vietnam dead."_
  
  
She froze as the names were spoken slowly and concisely, each leaving her with a chill running down her spine and tears beginning in her eyes, before one tore her breath away.  
  
"Private Kenshin Himura..."  
  
No.  
  
God, no.  
  
They were supposed to meet again. Touch again - speak again. Laugh and smile and dance, live gaily with all their shared hopes and dreams.  
  
This wasn't supposed to happen. Not to them.  
  
It had to be a misread.  
  
But it had been so long between letters...  
  
And something in her heart disappeared as that precious name was spoken, telling her - despite her initial denial, her panic - that it was true.  
  
    _Crying all alone under the stands was a piccolo player in the marching band._
  
  
    _And one name read and no one really cared - but a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair._
  
  
    
  
  
*`*`*`*`*`  
  
**- * : Quotes taken from President Kennedy.**  
  
    **Miyami's Blurb:** When I first listened to this song in its entirety, I first thought 'This is perfect for a Kenshin fic', even as I cried because it was so sad. But I wasn't sure of actually writing one, because - well - the story was already laid out in the song. What could I actually add to it? And, quite frankly, I thought I would butcher it. (I think I did, actually)
  
  
    But after a while, I absolutely HAD to write it down. And so I did. All I really did was flesh out the lyrics some, though.
  
  
    Originally, I wanted to do an Aoshi/Misao pairing. But, obviously, Kaoru and Kenshin make far more sense.
  
  
    I hope this managed to touch your hearts. I really wanted it to be more emotional, but I just couldn't get it done. This is the best I could do, and I hope I managed to do the song -some- justice.
  
  
    The song, "Travelin' Soldier", is sung by Tyler England (or the Dixie Chicks). It's a beautiful piece.
  



End file.
